Veggie Ramen

Speaking as an auntie and great-auntie, here are a few strategies used to get children to eat their vegetables!
1. Use colorful vegetables
2. Incorporate the vegetables into something yummy like ramen (or brownies!)
3. Create fun shapes with vegetables using cookie cutters and/or Japanese bento tools.
4. Get the children involved in the making of veggie ramen or whatever dish you are serving.
5. Use time in the kitchen with children as a way to play.
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Ingredients:
Ramen (I use Sapporo Ichiban)
Corn niblets
Slivers of green beans
Zucchini
Green, yellow, red peppers
Carrots

Veggie Ramen #SundaySupper

Disney's Mary Poppins would approve of this Ninja Baker’s Japanese veggie ramen. The famous Disney nanny was all about fun! In between traveling into colorful sidewalk art with her charges; she was singing, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!” (My Japanese nanny actually did crush up my medicine with honey.)

I’m not espousing the sweet stuff today. But I am promoting ramen! Specifically Japanese noodles topped with colorful veggies in amusing shapes. I’m no parenting expert. However, as an auntie and great-auntie I’ve noticed that when imagination is engaged, children will play along.

Plus, when children are involved in a project, when it’s their handiwork on the plate, they’re more likely to dig in. Even vegetables. Japanese bento tools and cookie cutters, by the way, are fantastic ways to create fun vegetable shapes.

You can also make Japanese-style octopus-shaped tofu dogs. It’s super easy. Cut the hot dog in half. For each tip, cut a cross. Then, boil for 3 minutes. Miraculously you’ll see 4-legged octopuses appear! My Japanese friends assure me, the octopus legs will also appear if you fry the hot dogs. While you’re boiling the tofu (or turkey or beef) dogs, under adult supervision, children can “make the ramen.” Standing on a footstool, little ones can stir the noodles in the boiling water.

In addition to ramen, another vehicle for veggies is brownies. Click this link here for another super-easy kid-friendly recipe. Scroll down too, to see a list of delicious strategies to get children to eat their vegetables. What are your tricks?

Japanese tako (octopus) tofu, turkey or beef hot dogs bring smiles to kids of all ages...Including aunties! Hot dogs shaped into octopuses frequently adorn Japanese bento. Placed there with love by mothers, aunties and grandmas. Maybe you'll be making Japanese tako tofu regularly dogs, too.

Ingredients:

Tofu, turkey or beef hot dogs

Enough boiling hot water to cover the hot dogs

Directions:

1. Bring a pan of water (enough to cover your hot dogs) to a boil.
2. Cut hot dogs in half (horizontally.)
3. On each tip, with a sharp knife cut a cross figure (about 1/3 of the way down.)
4. Place the hot dogs into the boiling water.
5. Watch octopus legs appear!

For even more kid friendly vegetables check out these Vegetable Recipes for Picky Eaters by The Sunday Supper Movement Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.